Paper machinery



March 8, 1955 JACOBS 2,703,682

PAPER MACHINERY Filed Jan. 25, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN V EN TOR.

ROBERT J. JACOBS ATTORNEYS March 1955 R. L. JACOBS 2,703,682

PAPER MACHINERY Filed Jan. 25, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG-7 FIG-8 INVENTOR.

ROBERT J. JACOBS BY W? ATTORNEYS a United States Patent PAPER MACHINERY Robert J. Jacobs, Fulton, N. Y., assignor to The Black- Clawson Company, Hamilton, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application January 23, 1953, Serial No. 332,945

15 Claims. (Cl. 242-58) This invention relates to apparatus and a method for continuously unwinding rolls of paper and other web materials.

The invention has special application to apparatus and a method for handling and supporting relatively small rolls of such web materials for a continuous unwinding operation in which successive rolls are unwound into a continuous web by splicing the leading end of successive full rolls to a trailing portion of the web from the next preceding roll. This application is a continuation-in-part of my application Serial No. 221,981, filed April 20, 1951, and assigned to the same assignee.

One of the principal objects of the invention is to provide an unwind stand or roll changer for unwinding successive rolls of web material which is of simple but rugged construction adapted for economical production, which is operable to move each successive roll into unwinding position in timed relation with the unwinding of the next preceding roll for continuous unwinding, which incorporates a driving drum for bringing each successive full roll up to unwinding speed while in contact with the web unwinding from the next preceding roll for splicing thereto, and which also includes shiftable supports for each roll operable to withdraw the unwinding roll from driven contact with the drum during unwinding thereof while retaining adequate control over the tension in the web unwinding therefrom.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an unwind stand or roll changer as outlined above in which the drum operates as an accelerating member for each successive full roll while at the same time serving as a rotary anvil against which the splice between the new roll and the web unwinding from the next operating roll is made, and in which the drum also operates in conjunction with a pressure roll to form a pair of pull rolls for drawing the web from the unwinding roll thereof at a controlled constant speed.

A further object of the invention is to provide an unwind stand or roll changer as outlined above which is semi-automatic in operation, which is therefore particularly well adapted for economical handling of relatively small rolls of paper or other web materials for continuous unwinding, and which provides continuously controlled web tension assuring uniform unwinding irrespective of possible variations in the thickness of a roll at different locations along the length thereof.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an im proved and simple method of unwinding successive rolls of web material into a continuous web under conditions of uniformly controlled tension effectively preventing undesired lateral movements of the web.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, the accompanying drawings and the appended claims.

In the drawings Fig. l is an elevational view showing an unwind stand or roll changer in accordance with the invention and looking from right to left in Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is an end elevational view looking from left to right in Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 to 6 inclusive are diagrammatic views illustratin successive stages in a continuous unwinding operation with the roll changer of Figs. 1 and 2;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing parts of the suporting mechanism for the rolls to be unwound and taken on the line 77 of Fig.

Fig. 8 is a detail section on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a detail elevational view looking from left to right in Fig. 7;

Fig. 10 is a fragmentary elevational view looking downwardly in Fig. 7 and partly broken away;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary elevational view looking from right to left in Fig. 10; and

Fig. 12 is a detail sectional view of one of the core shafts for supporting the roll to be unwound in the roll changer of the operation.

Referring to the drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment of the invention, the unwind stand or roll changer includes a main frame comprising a base plate 10 and a pair of end stands 11 and 12. This main frame is shown as mounted on base plate 10 for lateral adjustment as may be required to align the device properly with other apparatus in a paper converting system. For this purpose, a motor 13 is mounted on base 10 and drives a screw 15 threaded through the end stand 12 so that upon rotation of screw 15, the entire frame will be caused to move laterally. Satisfactory results have been obtained with the parts constructed to provide a total range for such lateral adjustment of the order of 2 inches, and a greater range can readily be provided if desired.

A driving drum is mounted between the end stands 11 and 12 for continuous rotation in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2. The drive for drum 20 is shown as including a sprocket 22 carried by one end of the drum and connected by chain 23 with a drive sprocket 24 on a shaft .25 which is in turn connected by gears 26 with a jack shaft 27 adapted to be driven by a suitable motor or other external main power source (not shown). A tensioning idler for the sprocket chain is indicated at 28 on the end stand 12.

A pressure roll 30 operates in conjunction with the drum 20 to form a pair of pull rolls for drawing the web from the successive rolls to be unwound. This pressure roll is shown as carried by a pair of arms 31 on a shaft 32 pivoted in the end stands 11 and 12, and controlled pressure engagement between roll 30 and drum 20 is effected by a fluid pressure cylinder 33 such as an air cylinder pivoted to a cross brace 34 between the end stands and having its piston rod pivoted to an arm 35 secured to the rock shaft 32. A cutoff knife is similarly mounted by means of arms 41 pivoted in the end stands on a shaft 42, and the knife 40 is operated by a fluid pressure cylinder 45 which is pivoted to the brace 34 and has its piston rod pivoted to the cross-rod 44.

The reel for supporting the rolls to be unwound includes a plurality of pairs of arms (two pairs being shown) secured by hubs 51 to a central shaft 52 journaled in the end stands 11 and 12. Means are provided for effecting controlled rotation of the reel in the opposite direction from the drum, and such means are shown as including a worm wheel 53 secured to shaft 52 and a worm 54 carried by the end stand 11 and having an operating handwheel 55. It should also be noted that the central shaft 52 is conveniently hollow to provide for the transmission of fluid pressure to the several reel arms as described hereinafter, and the shaft is accordingly shown as 5p6rovided at one end with an air line and rotary seal at The core shaft for supporting a roll to be unwound is provided with a pair of axially adjustable spindle noses 61 for releasably chucking a roll thereon. As shown in Fig. 12, the shaft 60 is largely hollow and has an extension 62 telescopingly fitted therein and equipped with a pin 63 slidable in a slot 64 in the shaft 60 to maintain the two shaft portions in splined relation. A spring 65 is received within shaft 60 between its inner end of its extension 62 and a block 66 pinned or otherwise secured within shaft 60, and spring 65 thus normally urges the two shaft portions axially apart. The outer ends of the shaft portions 60 and 62 are tapered and provided with a circumferential groove 67.

Each arm 50 is equipped with holding means including a releasable coupling for receiving the adjacent end of a core shaft. Each arm 50 at one end of the reel has a carriage 70 mounted thereon for sliding movement by means of a gib portion 71 in a T-slot 72 extending along the arm. An adjusting screw 73 extends through the end cap 74 on arm 50 into the carriage 70 and is provided with a handwheel 75 for thus adjusting the position of the slide along the arm. A pointer 76 on carriage 70 cooperates with a scale 77 on the side of the arm to indicate the adjusted position of the carriage as described hereinafter.

The carriage carries an air cylinder 80. connected as indicated at 81 in Fig. 2 with the hollow central shaft 52 for receiving and discharging pressure air. The piston rod 82 of cylinder is pivoted at 83 to a slide 85 mounted as shown in Fig. 7 for sliding movement with carriage 70 and also for similar sliding movement with respect to carriage 70. This arrangement of parts is such that when pressure is applied in cylinder 80, the slide 85 Will slide outwardly away from central shaft 52 and drum 20.

A spindle 88 is threaded through slide 85 and is provided at one end with a lock nut 89 and a handwheel 90, and the other end of this threaded spindle carries a bearing 91 on which is mounted a clamping unit for the core shaft 60. This clamping unit includes a generally cylindrical casing 92 having a clamping finger 93 pivoted therein at 94 and adapted to be received in the slot 67 on the end of the core shaft. A spring 95 is mounted as shown in Fig. 8 to urge the finger 93 into clamping position, and the casing 92 is cut away at 96 to facilitate releasing of the clamp when the core shaft is to be removed therefrom.

Each arm 50 at the opposite end of the reel carries a similar carriage 70 provided with an adjusting handwheel 75 and an air cylinder 80. The piston rod for this second cylinder 80 is pivoted at a slide 99 which is mounted similarly to the slide 85 but is of different construction. As shown in Figs. 7 and 10, the slide 99 forms a housing for a bearing 100 supporting a spindle 101 having at its inner end a clamping unit similar to that on the core shaft 88 and comprising a similar casing portion 102, a pivoted clamping finger 103 and spring 105. The spindle 101 thus holds the portion 62 of the core shaft against axial movement to provide for axial shifting of core shaft 60 by means of the threaded spindle 88 as described.

The outer end of spindle 101 carries a brake drum which cooperates with a brake band 111 pivoted at 112 in an extension portion 113 of slide 99. A threaded rod 115 is pinned at one end to the brake band 111, and its other end extends through a boss on the part 113 and is provided with a threaded adjusting knob 116 for adjustably determining the brake pressure between lining 112 and drum 110 against a spring 117. This brake unit thus acts in accordance with the adjustment of the knob 116 to provide a retarding action against free rotation of spindle 101 and of the core shaft and roll mounted thereon.

Figs. 2-6 illustrate the several stages in a continuous unwinding operation with the roll changer of the invention. Figs. 1 and 3 show a roll 120 supported in the normal unwinding position above the drum, with the web 121 being drawn therefrom over the upper surface of the drum, between the drum and pressure roll 30, and thence to the press or other station at which the web is to be used or treated. Preferred results are obtained in accordance with the invention if during this unwinding operation, the roll 120 is raised out of driven contact with the drum so that it is effectively free turning except for the retarding effect of the brake unit as described. This raising of the roll is accomplished by maintaining the air pressure supply to the cylinders 80, thus forcing the slides 85 and 99 outwardly on arms 50.

When the roll 120 has been unwound to a sufficient extent for the next roll to be mounted on the reel, the reel is rotated by handwheel 55 as described and in the opposite direction from drum 20 to approximately the position shown in Fig. 4 in which the roll 20 is below the drum. The new roll 123 is chucked on a core shaft 60-62, and the core shaft is mounted as described on the spindles 88 and 101. The tail of the new roll is trimmed and held down by the usual paster tabs, and pressure sensitive adhesive is applied on the tail as by brushing or by the addition of double sided pressure sensitive adhesive tape. Any necessary side lay adjustment of the roll to align it properly with the web 121 can also be effected at this time by operation of the handwheel 90 as described.

Fig. 5 shows the apparatus ready for splicing the new roll to the expiring web, with the prepared tail of the new roll indicated diagrammatically at 125, it being understood that ordinarily this tail will not be free but lit will be held to the roll by rupturable paster tabs. At this stage of the operation, the new roll remains supported out of contact with the web 121 by the maintained air pressure in cylinders 80. Preferably the spacing should be relatively small, for example about inch, and this result is accomplished by preliminary adjustment of the handwheels 75, which adjust the carriages 70 in accordance with scale 77 to establish the desired radial position of the spindles 88 and 101 when pressure is applied in cylinders 80.

When the roll 120 is almost completely unwound, the operator will actuate a suitable control such as a solenoid air valve to discontinue the air supply to the cylinders 80 and connect these cylinders to exhausts. Since the new roll is above the drum, gravity will then immediately cause the carriages 70 to drop until the full weight of the roll is pressing against the web running over the drum. The expiring roll 120 will however not be affected, since in its position below the drum as shown, gravity will hold it in the desired out of contact relation with the drum.

As soon as the full roll engages the drum, it will begin to rotate, and with it in the starting position indicated in Fig. 5, almost a complete revolution will be required before the prepared tail 125 contacts the web, and this roll is accordingly quickly brought up to substantially the same surface speed as the web. Then as soon as the tail 125 having the adhesive thereon strikes the web, it will be caused to adhere thereto by the weight of the remainder of the roll, and the desired splice will thus be effected as indicated at 126 in Fig. 6. As soon as the operator is satisfied by observation that the splice has been made, he will actuate the solenoid valve or other control supplying air pressure to the cylinder 45 for operating cutoff knife 40 as also shown in Fig. 6. Pressure is then again supplied to the cylinders 80 in order to cause them to shift the carriages 70 outwardly and thus to withdraw roll 123 out of contact with the drum, which may be effected by the same control as for knife cylinder 45, operating through a time delay relay to assure the severing of the expiring web before the new roll is raised, or a separate control may be used if desired.

It will accordingly be seen that in addition to its outstanding features of simple and rugged construction, this roll changer offers material advantages in operation for controlled continuous unwinding of successive rolls of paper or other web material. With the drum serving as described both as a pull roll and also as the anvil on which each successive splice is made and the accelerating means for each new roll, the drive and operation of the device are very simple and require minimum maintenance. At the same time, with the device constructed as described to support the unwinding rolls out of contact with the drum but under maintained braking, proper control of tension is effected at all times, thus assuring proper unwinding and also preventing possible overrunning of the roll in the event of a temporary stoppage of the press or other apparatus to which the unwinding web is being supplied. Also, since the tension control is maintained during roll changing, the invention assures corresponding maintenance register of printing when it is used for supplying web material to a printing press. All of these advantages contribute to the special suitability of the invention for use in handling small rolls and in installations where space is at a premium as well as where economy of production and operation is particularly desired.

While the method herein described, and the form of apparatus for carrying this method into effect, constitute preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to this precise method and form of apparatus, and that changes may be made in either without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:.

.l. A roll unwinding stand for producing a continuous traveling web which comprises a reel having a plurality of arms for receiving rolls of the material to be unwound, means including a frame supporting said reel for rotary movement to advance said arms progressively from a fresh roll receiving and starting first position to an unwinding and empty roll releasing second position, a drum rotatably mounted on said frame inwardly of said reel, means for driving said drum, holders on said arms for receiving and holding said rolls, means operable in said first position of said arms for effecting movement of said holders on said arms towards and away from said drum to shift said rolls into and out of contact with said drum, and means for pulling the web unwinding from a roll in said second position of said arms around said drum and between said drum and a fresh roll in said first position of said arms to provide for said shifting of said fresh roll into contact with said unwinding web for splicing thereto.

2. A roll unwinding stand for producing a continuous traveling web which comprises a reel having a plurality of arms for receiving rolls of the material to be unwound, means including a frame supporting said reel for rotary movement to advance said arms progressively from a fresh roll receiving and starting first position to an unwinding and empty roll releasing second position, a drum rotatably mounted on said frame inwardly of said reel, means for driving said drum, holders on said arms for receiving and holding said rolls, means for pulling the web unwinding from a roll in said second position of said arms around said drum and between said drum and a fresh roll in said first position of said arms, means operable in said first position of said arms for effecting movement of said holders on said arms towards said drum to carry the roll held thereby into splicing contact with said unwinding web and for thereafter effecting movement of said holders away from said drum to shift said roll out of contact with said drum, and means on said arms for retarding rotation of said unwinding roll under the pulling force of said pulling means to maintain tension in said unwinding web.

3. A roll unwinding stand for producing a continuous traveling web which comprises a reel having a plurality of arms for receiving rolls of the material to be unwound, means including a frame supporting said reel for rotary movement to advance said arms progressively from a fresh roll receiving and starting first position to an unwinding and empty roll releasing second position, a drum rotatably mounted on said frame inwardly of said reel, means for driving said drum, holders on said arms for receiving and holding said rolls, means for pulling the web unwinding from a roll in said second position of said arms around said drum and between said drum and a fresh roll in said first position of said arms, means operable in said first position of said arms for effecting movement of said holders on said arms towards said drum to carry the roll held thereby into splicing contact with said unwinding web and for thereafter effecting movement of said holders away from said drum to shift said roll out of contact with said drum, means on said arms for retarding rotation of said unwinding roll under the pulling force of said pulling means to maintain tension in said unwinding web, and selectively operable means on said frame for severing said unwinding web from a roll in said second position of said arms.

4. Apparatus for continuously unwinding successive rolls of web material comprising a continuously rotatable driving drum, a reel supported for rotation substantially coaxially with said drum and including a plurality of arms for receiving said rolls to be unwound, means for rotating said reel in the opposite direction from said drum to move said arms successively from a raised position supporting a roll above said drum and a lowered position supporting said roll below said drum while causing the web unwinding from said roll to travel over the top of said drum, means cooperating with said drum to effect continuous pulling of said unwinding web around said drum, holders on said arms operable in said raised position of said arms to hold a roll above and out of contact with said drum, means on said arms for effecting movement of said holders towards said drum to effect splicing contact of said roll with said drum, means on said arms for moving said holders away from said drum to withdraw said spliced roll out of contact with said drum, and means on said arms for retarding rotation of said roll to maintain tension in the web unwinding therefrom.

5. Apparatus for continuously unwinding successive rolls of web material comprising a continuously rotatable driving drum, a reel supported for rotation substantially coaxially with said drum and including a plurality of arms for receiving said rolls to be unwound, means for rotating said reel in the opposite direction from said drum to move said arms successively from a raised position supporting a roll above said drum and a lowered position supporting said roll below said drum while causing the web unwinding from said roll to travel over the top of said drum, means cooperating with said drum to effect continuous pulling of said unwinding web around said drum, holders on said arms operable in said raised position of said arms to hold a roll above and out of contact with said drum, fluid pressure cylinders operable to effect movement of said holders towards said drum to effect splicing contact of said roll with said drum and to move said holders away from said drum to withdraw said spliced roll out of contact with said drum, and means on said arms for retarding rotation of said roll to maintain tension in the web unwinding therefrom.

6. Apparatus for continuously unwinding successive rolls of web material comprising a continuously rotatable driving drum, a reel supported for rotation substantially coaxially with said drum and including a plurality of arms for receiving said rolls to be unwound, means for rotating said reel in the opposite direction from said drum to move said arms successively from a raised position supporting a roll above said drum and a lowered position supporting said roll below said drum while causing the web unwinding from said roll to travel over the top of said drum, means cooperating with said drum to effect continuous pulling of said unwinding web around said drum, holders on said arms operable in said raised position of said arms to hold a roll above and out of contact with said drum, means on said arms for effecting movement of said holders towards said drum to effect splicing contact of said roll with said drum, means on said arms for moving said holders away from said drum to withdraw said spliced roll to a position out of contact with said drum, means on said arms for retarding rotation of said roll in said out of contact position to maintain tension in the web unwinding therefrom, and means on said frame operable in said lowered position of said arms to sever said unwinding web from the roll thereof.

7. Apparatus for continuously unwinding successive rolls of web material comprising a continuously rotatable driving drum, a reel supported for rotation substantially coaxially with said drum and including a plurality of arms for receiving said rolls to be unwound, means for rotating said reel in the opposite direction from said drum to move said arms successively from a raised position supporting a roll above said drum to a lowered position supporting said roll below said drum while causing the web unwinding from said roll to travel over the top of said drum, means cooperating with said drum to effect continuous pulling of said unwinding web around said drum, holders on said arms operable in said raised position of said arms to hold a roll above and out of contact wth said drum, fluid pressure cylinders operable to effect movement of said holders towards said drum to effect splicing contact of said roll with said drum and to move said holders away from said drum to withdraw said spliced roll out of contact with said drum, and means on said arms for adjusting said cylinders with respect to said drum to establish a reference position of said cylinders wherein said holders will support a roll of given initial diameter in predetermined out of contact spaced relation with said drum.

8. A roll unwinding stand for producing a continuous traveling web which comprises a reel having a plurality of arms for receiving rolls of the material to be unwound, means including a frame supporting said reel for rotary movement to advance said arms progressively from a fresh roll receiving and starting first position to an unwinding and empty roll releasing second position, a drum rotatably mounted on said frame inwardly of said reel, means for driving said drum, holders on said arms for receiving and holding said rolls, means for pulling the web unwinding from a roll in said second position of said arms around said drum and between said drum and a fresh roll in said first position of said arms, means operable in said first position of said arms for effecting movement of said holders on said arms towards said drum to carry the roll held thereby into splicing contact with said unwinding web and for thereafter effecting movement of said holders away from said drum to shift said roll out of contact with said drum, one said holder on each pair of said arms having a spindle journaled therein, means for effecting a driving connection of said spindle with the roll to be supported thereby for unwinding, and cooperating brake means on said one holder and said spindle for retarding rotation of said roll during unwinding thereof under the pulling force of said pulling means to maintain tension in said unwinding web.

9. A roll unwinding stand for producing a continuous traveling web which comprises a reel having a plurality of arms for receiving rolls of the material to be unwound, means including a frame supporting said reel for rotary movement to advance said arms progressively from a fresh roll receiving and starting first position to an un winding and empty roll releasing second position, a drum rotatably mounted on said frame inwardly of said reel, means for driving said drum, holders on said arms for receiving and holding said rolls, means for pulling the web unwinding from a roll in said second position of said arms around said drum and between said drum and a fresh roll in said first position of said arms, means operable in said first position of said arms for effecting movement of said holders on said arms towards said drum to carry the roll held thereby into splicing contact with said unwinding web and for thereafter effecting movement of said holders away from said drum to shift said roll out of contact with said drum, a core shaft for receiving a roll to be unwound, one said holder on each pair of said arms having a spindle journaled therein, coupling means on said spindle and said core shaft for forming a releasable driving connection therebetween, cooperating brake means on said one holder and said spindle for retarding rotation of said shaft, a second spindle carried by the other said holder of each said pair, means for releasably coupling said second spindle with said core shaft, means in said other holder for effecting axial adjustment of said second spindle, and said core shaft including telescoping portions providing for axial shifting of a roll supported thereon in response to operation of said adjusting means.

10. A roll unwinding stand for producing a continuous traveling web which comprises a reel having a plurality of arms for receiving rolls of the material to be unwound, means including a frame supporting said reel for rotary movement to advance said arms progressively from a fresh roll receiving and starting first position to an unwinding and empty roll releasing second position, a drum rotatably mounted on said frame inwardly of said reel, means for driving said drum, holders on said arms for receiving and holding said rolls, means for pulling the web unwinding from a roll in said second position of said arms around said drum and between said drum and a fresh roll in said first position of said arms, means operable in said first position of said arms for effecting movement of said holders on said arms towards said drum to carry the roll held thereby into splicing contact with said unwinding web and for thereafter effecting movement of said holders away from said drum to shift said roll out of contact with said drum, a core shaft for receiving a roll to be unwound and including relatively telescoping portions, means on one said holder on each pair of said arms for receiving and holding one end of said core shaft against axial movement, a spindle carried by the other said holder of each said pair, means for coupling said spindle with said core shaft, and means in said other holder for effecting axial adjustment of said spindle to cause axial shifting of a roll supported on said cor-e shaft.

1 l. A roll unwinding stand for producing a continuous traveling web which comprises a reel having a plurality of pairs of arms for simultaneously receiving and holding an unwinding roll of the material to be unwound and a fresh roll of such material to be exchanged for said unwinding roll upon completion of unwinding thereof, means including a frame supporting said reel for rotary movement to advance said arms progressively from a fresh roll receiving and starting first position to an unwinding and empty roll releasing second position, said reel being constructed to locate one of said pairs of arms in said first position to receive a fresh roll while another pair of said arms carrying said unwinding roll is in said second position, a drum rotatably mounted on said frame inwardly of said reel, a pressure roll mounted in rotatable pressure contact with said drum, means for driving said drum for cooperation with said pressure roll to form a pair of pull rolls, and means for rotating said reel to move one pair of arms from said first position of said arms to said second position in the opposite direction from the rotation of said drum to cause the web unwinding from said roll in said second position of said arms to travel around said drum and between said drum and said fresh roll in said first position of another pair of said arms.

12. A roll unwinding stand for producing a continuous traveling web which comprises a reel having a plurality of arms for receiving rolls of the material to be unwound, means including a frame supporting said reel for rotary movement to advance said arms progressively from a fresh roll receiving and starting first position to an unwinding and empty roll releasing second position, a drum rotatably mounted on said frame inwardly of said reel, a pressure roll mounted in rotatable pressure contact with said drum, means for driving said drum for cooperation with said pressure roll to form a pair of pull rolls, holders on said arms for receiving and holding said rolls, means operable in said first position of said arms for effecting movement of said holders on said arms towards and away from said drum to shift said rolls into and out of contact with said drum, and means for rotating said reel from said first position of said arms to said second position in the opposite direction from said drum to cause the web unwinding from a roll in said second position of said arms to travel around said drum and between said drum and a fresh roll in said first position of said arms to said pressure roll.

13. The method of continuously unwinding successive rolls of web material to produce a continuous traveling web which includes the steps of guiding the web unwinding from a roll over the upper surface of a driving drum, supporting a full roll above said drum but out of contact therewith, moving said full roll onto the upper surface of said drum and into contact with said unwinding web to accelerate said full roll to substantially the surface speed of said web, splicing the tail of said full roll to said unwinding web while maintaining said full roll with substantially the full weight thereof pressing against said web, thereafter withdrawing said full roll out of driving contact with said drum to cause said full roll to be unwound while out of contact with said drum by the pull of the web therefrom around said drum, and substantially continuously retarding rotation of said roll to maintain tension in the web unwinding therefrom.

14. The method of continuously unwinding successive rolls of web material to produce a continuous traveling web which includes the steps of guiding the web unwinding from a roll over the upper surface of a driving drum, supporting a full roll above said drum but out of contact therewith, moving said full roll onto the upper surface of said drum and into contact with said unwinding web to accelerate said full roll to substantially the surface speed of said web, splicing the tail of said full roll to said unwinding web while maintaining said full roll with substantially the full weight thereof pressing against said web, thereafter withdrawing said full roll out of driving contact with said drum to cause said full roll to be unwound while out of contact with said drum by the pull of the web therefrom around said drum, substantially continuously retarding rotation of said roll to maintain tension in the web unwinding therefrom, and moving said roll around said drum in the opposite direction from the rotation of said drum to cause said web unwinding therefrom to continue travel over the upper surface of said drum in preparation for splicing thereto the next successive said roll.

15. The method of continuously unwinding successive rolls of web material to produce a continuous traveling web which includes the steps of guiding the web unwinding from a roll over the upper surface of a driving drum, supporting a full roll having pressure sensitive adhesive on the tail thereof above said drum but out of contact therewith, moving said full roll into the upper surface of said drum and into contact with said unwinding web to accelerate said full roll to substantially the surface speed of said unwinding web while maintaining said full roll with substantially the full weight thereof pressing against said web to splice said tail thereof to said web, thereafter withdrawing said full roll out of driving contact with said drum to cause said full roll to be unwound while out of contact with said drum by the pull of the web therefrom around said drum, and substantially continuously retarding rotation of said roll to maintain tension in the web unwinding therefrom.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

